MELAKA: A 22-year-old disabled woman was struck in the head with a hammer until she fainted and was confined in room with her hands and feet tied in an Ayer Keroh apartment on Tuesday.
The woman with intellectual disabilities was believed to have been kidnapped and held by two Bangladeshi men, who are also her neighbours.
The incident happened when she went out jogging.
Fortunately, the woman's family rescued her after searching the aprtment complex 30 minutes later.
Melaka Tengah district police chief Assistant Commissioner Christopher Patit said they received a report about the incident at about 8.50pm.
He said the victim claimed she was dragged by the two men into a house while she was alone behind the apartment complex at about 7 pm.
"She was then hit on the head with a hammer, causing her to lose consciousness, while her hands and feet were tied with a mobile phone charger cable.
"Her family realised she was missing when she failed to return home, and a search operation was launched along with neighbours," he said in a statement today.
Christopher said investigations revealed the incident took place in a three-bedroom ground-floor apartment, which was used as a dormitory for foreign workers employed as construction labourers.
"There were no closed-circuit television recording or witnesses in the incident.
"Forensic personnel who were at the scene did not find any traces of blood, but they did recover a hammer and handphone charger wire which was cut at the same location."
Christopher said the victim was treated in the green zone of Melaka Hospital, and her condition was stable.
Acting on information, police later arrested two suspects, aged 20 and 36 at Jalan BBP, Taman Batu Berendam Putra 2 on the same day.
The suspects were remanded starting yesterday to facilitate investigation under Sections 324 of the Penal Code for voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means; and 342 of the same code for wrongful confinement.
The case has also gone viral after photos of the incident were shared on social media since yesterday.